Of the various dispenser types available for dispensing various spreadable products (including solids, gels, semi-solids, and other substantially solid products) and applying them to a surface, one widely used type of dispenser is a twist-up type of applicator. In this type of dispenser, a substantially solid stick of product is placed within a tubular holder having one end open (a dispensing opening) and the other end closed. A rotatable handwheel is provided at the closed end to drive an elevator mechanism for advancing the stick of product toward the dispensing end of the dispenser. The handwheel is rotated so that a desired portion of the solid stick protrudes beyond the dispensing end of the dispenser. When the exposed end of the solid stick is drawn across the desired surface, a layer of product is sheared off of the exposed end of the solid stick and adheres to the desired surface. The thickness of this layer is controlled by a number of factors, including the texture of the desired surface, the viscosity or abrasion-resistance of the product, the width of the solid stick in the direction normal to the application direction, etc. As the exposed end of the solid stick is drawn over the surface, the layer of product is applied to the surface along the contact path of the solid stick.
Current commercially available twist-up dispensers utilize the exposed end of the solid stick to not only apply the product to the desired area, but also to perform the distribution function. If a consumer utilizes the solid stick to further distribute product already applied, additional product continues to be dispensed as the solid stick slides across the surface. This tends to result in uneven, generally excessive applications of product with accompanying waste of the product and consumer negatives such as residue.
Current commercially available dispensers also typically have a comparatively large surface area on the end of the solid stick to provide a better feel (for applications to a human body) and to minimize the number of strokes needed to obtain the desired coverage. Since abrasion of the solid stick against the desired surface is the mechanism for shearing product off of the end surface of the solid stick, variations in the surface texture of the desired surface and the shear resistance of the product tend to result in uneven layers or pieces of product of visible size being sheared off and deposited upon the desired surface. This in turn results in uneven coverage of the desired surface with areas of insufficient product application and areas of excessive product application, as well as the undesirable appearance of pieces of product adhered to the surface.
Accordingly, it would be desirable to provide a product dispenser which is easy to use and provides for a more even, less messy application of the product.